Weight gain
By blocking the histamine receptor in particular, Risperdal® leads to weight gain, which is exacerbated by a previous hyperglycaemia (too much sugar in the blood). A cause of weight gain that should not be underestimated is the need to consume sugary drinks, which worsens the existing dry mouth and tooth status. The metabolic side effects increase with the duration of the therapy and are generally blamed for the increased mortality caused by the intake of neuroleptics.
Side effects in the eye
Risperdal® triggers numerous side effects in the eye, which can be very diverse. Patients often have blurred vision when taking Risperdal®, which increases the risk of falling in everyday life. Occasionally, diffuse symptoms occur, such as conjunctivitis due to dry eyes, reddening of the eyes, eye discharge due to increased tear secretion and swelling of the eyes. Risperdal® can also increase intraocular pressure and in the long term promote the development of cataracts. Therefore, regular eye checks by an ophthalmologist are important.
Risperdal® and alcohol
During therapy with Risperdal®, the consumption of alcohol should be avoided, as alcohol can alter the effectiveness of the drug in unpredictable ways and increase side effects. In most cases, the effect of the alcohol is much stronger if patients take Risperdal® at the same time. The reality changing effect of alcohol in particular can make it difficult for patients with psychosis to assess reality correctly and in the long term lead to an increase in psychosis. For these reasons, we advise those affected not to consume alcohol.
Use of Risperdal® in children with autism
The drug treatment of autistic patients is extremely cautious and is only used in cases of long-lasting symptoms. It is important to clarify beforehand whether the behavioural abnormality cannot have any other cause. Psychopharmacotherapy for autism aims to alleviate the main symptoms.
The atypical neuroleptics, such as Risperdal®, are used for hyperactivity and impulsiveness, rigidity, as well as (auto)aggressiveness and affective symptoms and have the highest priority alongside antidepressants. An early-stage behavioral therapy with pharmacological interventions can effectively reduce problematic behavioral disorders such as anger and aggression. The specific indications of risperidone are in addition to the above mentioned compulsive behavior and stereotypes.
In general, Risperdal® is only approved for short-term treatment (up to 6 weeks) in children with mental retardation aged 5 years and older. Children under 5 years of age are excluded from treatment with Risperidone due to lack of experience. The dose depends on the weight of the children and can be added slowly.
For treatment of schizophrenia or mania, children under 18 years of age should not be treated with Risperidone. The above-mentioned side effects also apply to children. Weight gain in particular is a major problem in treatment with Risperdal®.
Discontinuing neuroleptics and Risperdal® can trigger withdrawal symptoms which are very similar to the picture of the original psychological problem. The range of symptoms is very wide and includes aggression, destructive behaviour, depressive moods, fear and restlessness. In addition to the psychic inflammatory symptoms, the lack of the active ingredient also manifests itself on the organic (all the organ systems mentioned above) and motor (dyskinesia) levels.In order to make the condition during and after discontinuation as pleasant as possible, the use of Risperdal® must be stopped gradually by reducing the dose over a long period of time.
